Tunnel tours and Menachem Begin Center

Another fun, interesting, and sunny day in Jerusalem...We started our day with the now very familiar walk to the Old City from our apartment. We found our way to the Kotel, avoiding the Arab shuk (souvenir shops, etc), through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters - a much calmer way to go. And arrived with plenty of time before our tour of the Western Wall tunnels. The tunnel tour was really cool. It started with a great presentation, complete with models and simulations, of the building of the Temple Mount 

and the second Temple, and the destruction of the 

The aptly named "Big Rock"

The section of the tunnels closest to where the Holy of
Holies would have been is reserved for women to pray.

same by the Romans. We were then led through the tunnels which have been excavated next to the rest of the Western Wall (above our heads were people's houses). Back in Herod's time, street level was a lot closer to where these tunnels are now and above them was open sky. But, by the Islamic period, street level had risen a lot, and people wanted to build their houses next to the Temple Mount (which now contained the Dome of the Rock), so arches were built in that area to support the houses forming tunnels below (which were mostly unused, except sometimes as sewers and/or cisterns.) If that doesn't make sense, you'll just have to visit it for yourself and see! The part of the western wall that is exposed now is a small fraction of it, so through these tunnels, you can get a better sense of just how long the whole western wall is and how tall it was (almost 100 feet tall). You can also see some of the absolutely enormous stones that Herod used to build the walls. One, which the guides call "the big rock" weighs more than a Boeing 747 fully loaded. Just imagining ancient builders quarrying, moving, and lifting that rock into place boggles the mind. Such large rocks were used to avoid the need for cement -- the rocks stay in place simply due to their own weight. In one part of the excavations, a cool thing they did was built a bridge with glass windows in it. As you walk over the windows, you can see stones from Herod's walls below you, where they were thrown by the Romans as they tried to destroy the Temple Mount. Essentially, you can see the destruction, preserved almost 2000 years later.

Looking down to see the bottom
of the wall

Admiring Herod's handiwork

On our way home through the Jewish Quarter

We came home (stopping for popsicles on the way home - it's really hot here!), ate lunch ("cheese toast" -- an Israeli favorite), and everyone took naps (except for me -- I got caught up on some work, which was very needed!).

Once everyone woke up, we headed back out -- this time to the Gan HaPa'amon - The Liberty Bell Garden -- a short walk south from our apartment (we bumped into Michael Ungar on the way -- he's back in town for the Rabbinical Assembly Convention). The kids wore bathing suits under their clothes, or brought clothes to change into as our destination was the lion fountain, where many local children come to cool off. Although a sign warns against entering the fountain, Jerusalemites from all walks of life routinely ignore it. Wading in the fountain were Arab children, ultra-Orthodox children, expatriate children from the German Colony, and our children! I'm convinced that the lion fountain is the best example of pluralism and integration one can find in Israel. Cooled off and supremely happy, we headed off for our final destination of the day, The Menachim Begin Center.

Couldn't choose just one of these happy fountain photos!

Sitting in Begin's living room hearing about the
incident with the Altalena ship

In a similar format to the Herzl museum (though telling a more complex story), this center about tells the life and political views of Menachem Begin. It traced his very interesting biography from his involvement in Betar (a Polish Zionist movement) which led to his arrest and imprisionment by the Soviets, through his time as the leader of the Irgun military movement in Palestine against the British, to his election to the Knesset and eventual rise to Prime Minister, and finally to his frustration and disappointment over the Lebanon War and his withdrawal from political life. Although the story probably could have been told in a more accessible way, it kept

At a political rally for the Likud

our attention as we moved from room to room and viewed multimedia presentations on each phase of his life, supplemented by commentary from the tour guide. At one point we found ourselves sitting in Begin's living room on his couches, at another we were in a Likud political rally, and at another we were in the Knesset listening to the argument about the Camp David agreements.

On the way home, Sylvia ran uphill the whole way with her arms flying out behind her, and shouting "Superman!!" and then she shared her newest Hebrew word, "Shelanu" (Ours) which she announced first in front of our apartment building and then again in front of the door to our apartment. The big kids' Hebrew is also improving daily (especially Jonah's as he is willing to watch lots of Hebrew Nick Jr.). Words/phrases I know he added today include "muchanim" (we are ready), "mispar" (number), and "yesh li reayon" (I have an idea). The more he knows, the more it seems he is able to learn each day. Finally, as Sylvia went to bed tonight, she said to me (happily), "After wake up, Mommy, more hiking!" And, with that, I think she's pretty much summarized our life in Israel!